Expert: Willie Wallace - 2/9/2012

Question
I am looking forward to reading your responses because I am feeling overwhelmed with beautiful Scotland!  We will be playing golf at the Old Course in July.  Will have 4 days to drive around before our flight home to the US from Edinburgh on Saturday noon.

Would like to see Skye, Eilean Donan Castle and Loch Lomond. I am really open to anywhere that includes Donan Castle.  

We finish golf on Tuesday around 3pm and would like to start our drive then.  We will have 4 nights. Can we drive to Eilean Castle directly (how long is the drive)?  Would you please suggest an itinerary so we can drive and see the beautiful scenery and possibly stay in B and B or even a Castle that is on the way.  

Thank you so much in advance for your time and expertise.

Answer
Go from St. Andrews to Stirling and visit the castle and the Wallace Monument.  From there take the road to Balloch and then up the West bank of Loch Lomond and all the way up to Crianlarich.  From there up to Fort William, via Glencoe and from Fort William, take the Road to the Isles to Mallaig and catch the Calmac ferry to the Isle of Skye, a stunning ferry crossing.  Stay a couple of nights on Skye and come off via the bridge to Kyle of Lochalsh.  Eilan Donan Castle is about five miles past Kyle.  From there you head straight to Loch Ness, turn left up Loch Ness to Inverness and then take the A9 back to Edinburgh.

Use http://www.theaa.com/ to find where you want to go and it will tell you the road numbers and distances and times.  Base where you plan stay on the mileage travelled and you should do alright.

Plan it in advance and book accommodation in advance.  It will not be easy to just find accommodation if you turn up somewhere in July, believe me.  You will waste all your time trying to find rooms.

You will need a rental car and the best deals are with me at http://www.celticlegend.co.uk/car

Hope that helps you.
Cheers,

Willie